Endeavour: The 21st Century
by Detective Snickers
Summary: In this au set in the 21st century, a cryptic, shady detective joins the ranks. There are many whispered rumours of her past, and people walking by often eye her with mistrust. Morse is told not to trust her, but will he take that advice?
1. Chapter 1

Notes: Okay, so this is a 21st Century AU of Endeavour. I will be introducing an OC of mine into the story. I currently have no idea how long this story will be, we'll see what happens. This is not my first fanfiction, and I have watched all of the Endeavour episodes, this is my first fanfic for this fandom, so I'll try not to make them too ooc.

Prologue

"So, I hear a new Detective Sergeant will be joining us," DS Jakes said casually.

"Yes, Bright said she's transferring from County," Thursday said.

"County? They're not too sharp over there," Jakes scoffed.

"I wouldn't assume," Morse interjected.

"Oh, well, I'd rather she be dull than be smart and have as many bats in her belfry as you," Jakes shot at him.

"Enough!" Thursday scolded, "I shan't have you two acting like bickering children! As for the new DS, her name is Kayley Whitehart."

"That's it?" Morse asked.

"Mr. Bright isn't too keen on giving details, it seems she's had an..._interesting _past," Thursday replied. Morse looked thoughtful as DS Jakes walked away, grumbling something about it being shady.

"Alright?" Thursday said.

"Hmm," Morse answered.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, the new detective sat in Chief Superintendent Bright's office, nervously tapping her foot on the floor.

"Welcome to the force, it's good to have you join us. I'm sure your talents were… wasted at County," the Chief Superintendent began, "In a few moments, I will formally introduce you to the rest of the force."

DS Whitehart nodded, but groaned internally. She absolutely despised formal introductions, and much preferred to introduce herself as needed. However, she would rather not cause trouble of her first day, as she would most likely cause trouble later. She nervously adjusted the collar of her black turtleneck sweater. It wasn't too often that she was well accepted. Rumour and conjecture followed her everywhere she went.

The rumours were the worst. She had been transferred due to a fight, she had accidentally killed a suspect while in pursuit, she hid evidence from a superior officer. Those were some of the most common, and none were true, of course, but people tended not to believe her.

Bright stood up and motioned for Whitehart to follow as he left the office. She dutifully did so. As they entered the main office, Bright cleared his throat .

"May I have your attention please?" he yelled. It was hardly necessary, half of the people there were already staring.

"As I'm sure you've already heard, a new detective will be joining us today," Bright said, gesturing in Whitehart's general direction, " This is Detective Sergeant Whitehart." The room erupted in conversation and Bright, in vain, tried to regain their attention, and eventually gave up, retreating back to his office.

"Alright, alright, back to work!" DI Thursday ordered as things began to settle down. Whitehart awkwardly went and sat down in her assigned desk, which was not too far from a two men talking.

"You're drooling, Jakes, close your mouth and quit staring, you're not going to impress her that way."

"I do not fancy the new detective, Strange!" Jakes protested a bit too loudly, "I'm suspicious of her. I've heard..._things_." Whitehart turned around and looked at them.

"I do have ears you know, and whatever '_things' _you've heard are probably not true, so I would suggest disregarding them immediately or at least keeping them to yourself, clear?" the detective snapped. Jakes swallowed and nodded. Morse, who was sitting several desks away, shared an amused look with Jim Strange. Jakes finally got what was coming to him eventually.

Notes: I know, I know, I haven't had much of Morse in it yet, but there will be, along with longer chapters. I just wanted to set up the new character first.


	3. Chapter 3

DI Thursday walked into the office, sighing. They had barely just wrapped up the last murder, and there was another one.

"We've had a murder at Oxford University," Thursday said,

"Whitehart, Morse, you're with me."

Morse and Whitehart rode with Thursday, Whitehart taking the awkward position of being alone in the back seat. Whitehart didn't know what to say, so she chose to stare at the floor. Morse noticed her while he was talking to Thursday and glanced back. Whitehart's eyes flickered up at him, held his gaze for a moment, then looked out the window in a rather aloof manner.

When they arrived at the college, almost the entire front courtyard was sectioned off with police tape. The trio of detectives ducked under the tape and joined a uniformed woman with blonde hair.

"The deceased is Sean McIntyre, Irish, 27, majoring in Archeology," the woman said.

"Family?" Whitehart queried.

"Don't know anything about that yet," was the reply, "Who are you?"

"Detective Sergeant Kayley Whitehart, I transferred here."

"Constable Shirley Trewlove," the blond woman said, extending a hand, "Do I know you from somewhere?" The detective shook it.

"No, I don't think so" Whitehart said, not exactly telling the truth, they had, in fact, seen each other before, when Whitehart was undercover at a bookshop. She couldn't tell Trewlove, though, the rule is, never blow your cover, even after case closed.

"Oh, well, nice to meet you," Shirley said. Whitehart nodded and went over to the body.

"She's...interesting," Trewlove remarked as the other detectives dispersed and began their duties. Morse shrugged.

"She hasn't said much," he replied. There was a moment of awkward silence. Endeavour cleared his throat.

"Well, I better…" he trailed off, gesturing toward the body.

Blood was splattered across the grass and pooling beneath the head, creating a dark, nearly black slick, and staining the grass tips crimson red. Morse did his best to ignore it and focus on the man who was examining the body. The man looked up.

"Oh, Hello, Morse," Dr. DeBryn greeted, then glanced at Kayley, "Whitehart." Kayley gave the doctor a barely perceptible nod. Morse looked back and forth between the two.

"You two know each other?" Endeavour asked, surprised.

"Yes, we met at the Bodleian some time ago," Kayley Whitehart answered.

"Hmm, cause of death?" Morse asked.

"Severe, repeated bludgeoning to the back of the skull with a pointed object," DeBryn stated matter-of-factly. Endeavour winced internally and his insides curdled at the doctor's graphic depiction of the man's death. He began looking around and noticed black shards of plastic scattered throughout the grass.

"What is it?" Whitehart asked.

" Plastic shards," Morse said, snapping on a pair of rubber crime scene gloves. Kayley did the same as he handed her a shard. She examined it for a moment. Kayley's eyes then began darting around the crime scene. Morse followed her gaze until he saw a large, half-broken piece of plastic shaped like a phone.

"Smartphone case," they said simultaneously. They stared awkwardly for a few moments before Endeavour snatched the broken case off of the ground. Before either detective could say any more, a loud argument broke out nearby.


End file.
